Combination jigsaw puzzle and container set

ABSTRACT

This specification discloses a combination jigsaw puzzle and container set comprising a rectangular board having a flange upstanding from the upper face thereof and which flange has a shape corresponding to the contour of the continental United States of America and the Great Lakes, with the exception of Alaska, together with a set of glass containers, each of which comprises flat top and bottom walls and a side wall having a configuration corresponding to the shape of one of the 48 states or a Great Lake. Outstanding from the side wall of each such container is a neck on which is fitted a removable closure. Most of these containers also are formed with a recess which enters into the side wall thereof and which recess is shaped and dimensioned to snugly receive the neck with its closure thereon of the container of an adjacent state or Great Lake. The board is sufficiently large to provide areas outside of the flange aforesaid on which containers which are replicas of Alaska and Hawaii may be placed.

United States Patent 1191 Eaker 1451 Oct. 23, 1973 COMBINATION JIGSAW PUZZLE AND CONTAINER SET [76] Inventor: Cecil E. Eaker, 11453 North 25th Ave., Phoenix,

[22] Filed:' Aug. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No: 280,071

Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Attorney-Eric P. Schellin et al.

[57] ABSTRACT This specification discloses a combination jigsaw puzzle and container set comprising a rectangular board having a flange upstanding from the upper face thereof and which flange has a shape corresponding to the contour of the continental United States of America and the Great Lakes, with the exception of Alaska, together with a set of glass containers, each of which comprises flat top and bottom walls and a side wall having a configuration corresponding to the shape of one of the 48 states or a Great Lake. Outstanding from the side wall of each such container is a neck on which is fitted a removable closure. Most of these containers also are formed with a recess which enters into the side wall thereof and which recess is shaped and dimensioned to snugly receive the neck with its closure thereon of the container of an adjacent state or Great Lake. The board is sufficiently large to provide areas outside of the flange aforesaid on which containers which are replicas of Alaska and Hawaii may be placed.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures United States Patent 1 [111 3,767,203 Eaker Oct. 23, 1973 Patented Oct. 23, 73

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Oct. 23, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 COMBINATION JIGSAW PUZZLE AND CONTAINER SET The present invention relates to a combination jigsaw puzzle and container set and is primarily concerned with such an assembly in which each container is a miniature replica of one of the states of the United States of America or the five Great Lakes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION jigsaw puzzles have achieved a wide popularity during the recent years and just about everyone is familiar with the theory on which a jigsaw puzzle is based. Briefly stated, a jigsaw puzzle comprises a plurality of flat pieces of appreciable thickness, with each piece having a side edge which is shaped to fit or interlock with an'adjacent piece. The exposed or upper faces of the pieces display portions of a picture or reprsentation of some object which appears in its completed form when the pieces are finally assembled. As a general rule, it may be stated that when the pieces are assembled, a rectangular, circular or oval overall shape is achieved. I p

It is now known to provide an educational game in the nature of a jigsaw puzzle in which the individual pieces are replicasd of the states of the United States of America. In one such known device, provision is made for interlocking or securing each of the states to a board.

It is also known to provide a set of hollow structural elements, eachof which is in the shape of a cube or parallelepiped presenting six flat faces from one of which upstands a neck on which a closure is removably fitted with some of the remaining faces formed with recesses, anyone of which is adapted to receive a neck with a closure thereon of an adjacent piece. It has been suggested that such a hollow structural element may be used as a container for certain commodities.- The idea behind the set aforesaid is to enable a player to achieve various structural shapes by assembling the elements in different ways.

The present invention is founded on the belief that a set of flat, glass containers, each of which is a replica of one of the states of the United States of America or the Great Lakes, and which includes a neck which out-- stands from a side wall and a removable closure thereon, with the side wall having a recess for receiving the neck with the closure thereon of another container, will meet with a high degree of public acceptance in the merchandising of certain commodities with which the containers are filled.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION With the foregoing conditions in mind, thepresent invention has in view the following objectives:

1. To provide a combination jigsaw puzzle and container set which includes a plurality of hollow flat containers, each having a side wall of a configuration corresponding to the contour of one of the states of the United States of America or. a Great Lake, with the side wall having a neck outstanding therefrom and a closure removably fitted on the neck which is received in a recess in the side wall of an adjacent container.

2. To provide, in a combination jigsaw puzzle and container set of the type noted, a board having a flat upper face from which upstands a flange having a configuration corresponding to the contour of the continental United States of America and the Great Lakes, with the exception of Alaska.

3. To provide a combination jigsaw puzzle and container set of the character aforesaid in which the flange has a height substantially the same as the height of the side walls of the containers.

4. To provide, in a combination jigsaw puzzle and container set ofthe kind described, flat containers, each having a side wall from which outstands a neck, with some of the containers including side walls having recesses therein at various locations thereabout to receive the necks and closures of adjacent containers.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention, such as arise in connection with carrying out the above ideas in a practical embodiment, will, in part, become apparent and, in part, be hereafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The foregoing objects are achieved by providing a combination jigsaw puzzle and container set comprising a board having a flat upper face from which upstands a flange having a configuration corresponding to the contour of the continental United States of America and the Great'Lakes, with the exception of Alaska, together with a plurality of flat, glass containers, each having flat top and bottom walls and a side wall of a configuration corresponding to that of one of the states of the continental United States or the Great Lakes, with the exception of Alaska. Outstanding from each side wall is a neck on which is removably fitted a closure, with the side walls of a least most of the containers having recesses in which are fitted the necks and closures thereon of adjacent containers. The containers which are replicas of the individual states and the Great Lakes are of a size which is related to the flange on the board, whereby the containers which are replicas of the 48 states and the Great Lakes are received within said flange when the containers are assembled and interlocked by the necks fitting in the recesses.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective of a board which is an element of a combination jigsaw puzzle and container set embodying the precepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the board of FIG. it taken on the plane of the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective of a container which is a replica of Arizona;

FIG. 4 is a perspective illustrating replicas of Georgia and Florida in exploded relation;

FIG. 5 is a perspective of a replica of Iowa, and

FIG. 6 is a perspective of a replica of the state of Washington.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding elements throughout the several views, and first more particularly to FIG. 1, a playing board is illustrated and referred to in its entirety by the reference character it). The board 10 may be of any of several materials such as metal, wood or plastic, with the latter being indicated as a preferred material for reasons which will later become apparent. Board is of rectangular shape defined by end edges 11 and 12 and side edges 13 and 14. Upstanding from the upper face of board 10 is a flange 15 which has a configuration corresponding to the contour of the continental United States of America including the Great Lakes. The flange 15 may be also of any of the materials above specified and may be either fabricated individually and the assembled on the board 10 in any well known manner or, as a preferred embodiment when the board 10 is of plastic, flange 15 may be formed integrally therewith.

Board 10 may also be provided with an area 16 at the corner between edges 12 and 13 which has a contour generally corresponding to that of Alaska, and another area 17 at the corner between the edges 12 and 14 which generally corresponds to a representation of the state of Hawaii.

It is intended that containers which are replicas of the 48 states of the continental United States of America and the Great Lakes be assembled with the flange 15 in the manner of ajigsaw puzzle. FIGS. 3 to 6 inclusive illustrate certain states which are taken as representative of the various type of such replicas. Each replica is a flat container comprising a top wall 18 which preferably displays the name of the state, a botton wall 19 of the same size and shape as the top wall 18 and which is secured in spaced parallel relation with respect to the top wall 18 by a side wall 20. These containers are preferably of glass, although they could well be of a transparent plastic. In either case, the walls 18, 19 and 20 are integrally connected. Outstanding from the side wall 20 of each container is a neck 21 on which is removably fitted a closure in the form of a cap 22. The cap 22 may be assembled on closure 21 in any preferred manner, such as by a friction fit, if the cap 22 is of plastic, or by the threads illustrated at 23.

It will be understood that certain of the states and Great Lakes are identified as perimeter states and others as interior states. Each of the perimeter states and Great Lakes will have at least some portion of its side wall 20 which conforms to a portion of the flange 15. In the cases of the perimeter states, the necks 21 will not outstand from those portions of the side walls 20 which engage the flange 15 and neither will these portions of the side walls be formed with a recess such as shown at 24. Each recess 24 is shaped and dimensioned to snugly receive a cap 22 as assembled on a neck 21.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 3, the container which is a replica of Arizona is designated 25. In this instance, closure 22 is secured to neck 21 which upstands from the portion of side wall 20 corresponding to the northern boundary of the state.

FIG. 4 illustrates replicas of Georgia and Florida which are identified as 26 and 27 respectively. Both of these states are perimeter states. Container 26 has a neck 21 and cap 22 on the side wall which defines its northern boundary and a recess 24 in that portion of the side wall which defines its southern boundary. When the replicas 26 and 27 are assembled, recesses 24 will receive the cap 22 on container 27.

FIG. 5 depicts replica 28 which is a representation of Iowa, an interior state. Container 28 has a cap 22 on the neck 21 which extends from a portion of the side wall 20 which defines the eastern contour of the state and a recess 24 that is formed in that portion of the side wall 20 which defines the western boundary of the state.

FIG. 6 illustrates containers 29 and 30 which are replicas of Washington and Idaho respectively, both perimeter states. Container 29 carries a cap 22 which is received in a recess 24 in container 30.

It is believed unnecessary and, in fact, impractical to here illustrate and describe the container which is a replica of each of the 48 states and Great Lakes. It is sufficient to state that each container has a neck 21 and a removable cap 22. Also, that some, but not all, of the containers will be formed with a recess 24 in the side wall thereof. The location of the neck 21 and the recess 24 in a container depends on the pattern which is employed to achieve the interlock between several containers when they are assembled, with the ultimate result of providing in the final assembly a representation of the complete continental United States and the Great Lakes, with the exception of Alaska.

Containers not illustrated may also be provided as replicas of Alaska and Hawaii which are adapted to be received within the areas defined by lines 16 and 17. The containers for said areas are merely placed on the board at the respective corners where the lines 16 and 17 are located.

The side walls 20 of the containers will ordinarily have a height substantially the same as that of the flange 15.

The manner in which the containers are assembled within the flange 15 is believed to be obvious from the illustrations of the drawings and the description of parts set forth above. However, briefly stated, a user of this set may begin at any starting point he so desires which will ordinarily be at some location along flange 15. After a container is positioned, a container which is a replica of an adjacent state is assembled therewith and when occasion requires, the cap 22 on the container of one state is inserted in the recess 24 of the container of an adjacent state. Perhaps some skill and ingenuity will be required in fitting the last state or two in place. A certain amount of looseness will inevitably be present between the side walls of the adjacent states and such looseness will ordinarily accommodate the placement of the final containers.

While a preferred specific embodiment is herein disclosed, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact construction, materials and designs illustrated and described because various modofications of these details may be provided in put ting the invention into practice.

What is claimed is:

1. In a combination jigsaw puzzle and container set,

a. a board of rectangular shape and having an upper surface from which upstands a flange in the shape of the contour of the continental United States of America and the Great Lakes, with the exception of Alaska;

b. a set of hollow containers, each having opposed flat top and bottom walls and a side wall;

c. the side walls of certain of said containers having the configurations of said states and the side walls of of others of said containers having the configurations of said Great Lakes;

d. a neck extending from the side wall of each container;

e. a closure removably assembled on each of said necks, and

f. one or more recesses in the side wall of certain of said containers shaped and dimensioned to receive of claim 1 in which the side walls of the containers have a height substantially the same as the height of said flange.

4. The combination jigsaw puzzle and container set of claim 1 together with containers which are replicas of Alaska and Hawaii and said board has areas outside of said flange for receiving the replicas of Alaska and Hawaii. 

1. In a combination jigsaw puzzle and container set, a. a board of rectangular shape and having an upper surface from which upstands a flange in the shape of the contour of the continental United States of America and the Great Lakes, with the exception of Alaska; b. a set of hollow containers, each having opposed flat top and bottom walls and a side wall; c. the side walls of certain of said containers having the configurations of said states and the side walls of of others of said containers having the configurations of said Great Lakes; d. a neck extending from the side wall of each container; e. a closure removably assembled on each of said necks, and f. one or more recesses in the side wall of certain of said containers shaped and dimensioned to receive the neck of an adjoining container with the closure thereon; whereby said containers are adapted to be assembled in interlocked relation within said flange to provide a representation of the continental United States of America.
 2. The combination jigsaw puzzle and container set of claim 1 in which said containers are of glass.
 3. The combination jigsaw puzzle and container set of claim 1 in which the side walls of the containers have a height substantially the same as the height of said flange.
 4. The combination jigsaw puzzle and container set of claim 1 together with containers which are replicas of Alaska and Hawaii and said board has areas outside of said flange for receiving the replicas of Alaska and Hawaii. 